To insure or not to insure?
People ask, should I insure my pet? Well, the answer to that is yes, most definitely!
The reason is simple. It is to give you the peace of mind that you can give your pet the best.
No amount of putting money away in a bank account each month will ever be enough. Something as simple as an ear infection, or a cut paw can soon cost hundreds of pounds.
How does pet insurance work?
Pet insurance is really no different to any other kind of insurance. You choose the plan you would like, pay your monthly amount, and your covered, simple!
If you need to make a claim with your veterinary surgery, you will have an excess to pay. This amount varies depending on the policy you choose to take out. If the amount is a large sum of money, usually over £500, some veterinary practices, but not all, will let you do a direct claim. You will just pay your excess, and they will claim the rest from your insurance company.
Which insurer should I choose?
There are so many to choose from, but it comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer to go with a name they recognise, some choose by asking friends and family and some people go with the one that is cheapest. There really is no right or wrong way to choose an insurer to go with.
Which policy is best?
Obviously, the policy that gives you the most amount of cover would be the best one, but not everybody can afford that. I would recommend you take out a policy that gives you at least £3000 worth of cover per condition and make sure that it is a policy that is covered for life. Covered for life means that should your pet get a condition that they will have for the rest of their life, such as a heart condition or diabetes, for example, the policy will cover them for the rest of their days.
Covered for life and Life cover are not the same thing, so please make sure you read the small print on your policy!
When should I insure my pet?
Insure your pet as soon as you get them home. This is so important.
So many pups are taken to the vets because of accidents. They may fall off the sofa, chew on something they shouldn’t, eat something they shouldn’t or someone steps on them, the list goes on. Pet insurance companies will usually insure your pet to cover accidents straight away, and illness from 2 weeks. Accidents happen all too often with pups, and that insurance can make all the difference. If a pup becomes ill, and the owner takes it to the vet 13 days after the policy was taken out, the pup won’t be covered. But not only will the pup not be covered at the time, that condition that he has gone in with, whether it be a sore eye or an upset tummy, will then become a pre-existing condition and won’t be covered for the rest of its life. It is so important to get them covered as soon as possible.
In conclusion, pet insurance is so important. It can literally be the determining factor in if your pet lives or dies. If your pet has a condition that requires a referral to a pet hospital or needs emergency out of hours care, it can cost thousands. That is not an exaggeration, it is thousands!
Most vets are not in a position to offer payment plans, and referral hospitals and out of hours sometimes want advance payments.
Please get your pets insured.